Anne Sonne nothing new, it has always been mandatory if you started out on a Non-O/A visa, and it is clearly separated on that list from the "retirement Non-Imm-O" - for the 1-year extension NO health insurance is required

Andreas Trummer the "guarantor" part and the C3 signed, seems to be office-specific, as I have never seen anything like that listed before.

Leo Andreas Hoffmann yes, you are right, the "guarantor" part or the C3 is also new to me, but again, it might still be Immigration office-specific and required only by the office where you picked up this list. It might not be required in other offices

Nigel Q. Reynolds nothing new, it has always been mandatory if you started out on a Non-O/A visa, and it clearly separates the Non-O/A on that list from the "retirement Non-Imm-O"

Leo Andreas Hoffmann the requirements can vary between different Immigration offices. There are 85+ Immigration offices in Thailand. If somebody plans to apply for the 1-year extension marriage with a Thai wife, on "his" Immigration, it always is advised to visit them and ask for their hand-out list of requirements, because on that specific Immigration, the rules and requirements might vary slightly from another office. After having read the handout list you posted, I must say that there is ONLY ONE new requirement, that is the need for a "guarantor" for the first application to the 1-year extension based on being married to a Thai wife, but I must say, this clearly is Immigration office specific, as no such guarantor is needed at my local office

TurquoiseOstrich6737 yes sure there are VIP sleeper busses from Bangkok or Pattaya to Nong Khai

you are wasting your time. Take a bus to Nong Khai, cross into Laos, stay in Vientiane for 2 or 3 nights, Cross back into Thailand, get stamped in for another 180 days, and take the bus back to Pattaya. If you want to do a quicker border bounce, fly from Bangkok to Singapore or Vientiane or Hanoi, and back on the same day

For the application to a Non-Imm-Visa Class (based on retirement, married to a Thai wife, sponsoring half Thai child, employment, etc.) outside of Thailand, you prove money in your home bank account or your monthly income, using original income documents.

For example, if you wish to apply to the Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa, you need proof of a deposit in your country’s currency equivalent to 800,000 THB – in ANY bank account ANYWHERE as long as it is in your sole name. Or a proof of a monthly income minimum of 65,000 THB equivalent.

Only when applying on Immigration inside Thailand, for a 1-year Extension of Temporary Stay Permit based on Retirement, the 800,000 THB deposit must be in a THAI bank account in your sole name.

So, right after you have entered Thailand on a Non-Imm Retirement Visa, you should get a Thai bank account opened as soon as possible, because you will need to season the deposit for 2 months before you can apply for the 1-year extension.

Thai bank account opening MINIMUM pre-requisites are:

*** have a longterm visa, like a 90-days Non-Imm-visa type, an LTR or Non-O/A

*** be properly registered per TM30 Online System at your accommodation

*** visit Immigration and get the “certificate of residence”. Immigration in this document will ask the bank explicitly to open a bank account for the applicant

*** have a Thai mobile number and the SIM-card registered to your name and passport number

*** your passport as a valid document of identification

(some banks have started to ask you for another piece of identification, like your home country driver’s license)

*** a work permit (only if applicable – it is NOT a mandatory requirement!)

Here a list of NOT commonly NECESSARY pre-requisites, but which CAN get asked from (incompetent!!) bank staff:

*** a rental contract - actually irrelevant- but it is okay if you got one, or if you got a blue housebook indicating ownership of a condo.

*** a third piece of identification (check above)

*** a mandatory life-insurance or accident insurance the bank offers you for yearly 5000 Baht (they love to earn a sidekick)

*** your foreign Tax-number or Social Security number (which would be okay so far, why not)

Try several branches of different banks, you might find one that opens an account for you under the minimal requirements. Sometimes it takes a day or two of running around until you find a bank willing to help you.

I don’t recommend Bangkok Bank. Better get a Kasikorn or Siam Commercial Bank Plc. Account. Other good banks are Khrungthai and Khrungsri

In case you consistently meet bank staff who resist and pull out of their noses random requirements, use the service of an agent. In Pattaya for example, you can get your Thai bank account opened for 5000 THB.

Fred Naancome Wijnands the UK embassy in Bangkok discontinued issuing income affidavits many years ago. That's why British citizens cannot use the income method for the first 1-year extension of stay. They would need the 800,000 THB (or 400,000 as being married to a Thai wife) deposit in their Thai bank account - at least in the first year. They have the option to immediately after having opened the Thai bank account, start to transfer from their home country a minimum of 65,000 (40,000) Baht, month for month, consecutively every month. For the application to the second 1-year extension, many Immigrations will accept a 12-months bank statement over these consecutive transfers, as financial proof for the application to the next extension. After being issued the new extension, you can theoretically remove the 800,000 THB deposit from your account, however you must keep going on transferring the 65,000 THB every month. You as a Dutch citizen have the advantage that your embassy in Bangkok is willing to issue an income affidavit which will be accepted by Immigration

Graham Seal well he can use any 400,000 THB or equivalent deposit on any bank account, but he can also use original income documents in the UK for the application to the visa which is what he intends to use. However he cannot use the income for the 1-year extension application because the British embassy in Bangkok does not issue any income affidavits